Back in 2003, Alysia and I met up with my dad, Brad, and friends to hunt for a remote old mine out in the Mojave desert. Several quartz veins here worked for gold as late as the 1950s. The mines aren’t deep but don’t seem to be played out either. I’d bet there is some gold still here. The area is inside of wilderness now and off-limits to mining. We had a great day out there.
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Cliffs of Crosses Petroglyphs
Most East Mojave rock art sites have a mix of abstract designs, the occasional bighorn sheep, maybe a few human figures. This canyon has those too, but what sets it apart is the number of enclosed crosses pecked into the basalt cliffs. I didn't name it, but whoever
Grass Canyon Petroglyphs
Native Americans passed through Grass Canyon thousands of years ago and left their marks on the basalt. I am not sure why they picked these rocks, though. There are plenty of other surfaces around that don't have anything on them. But this spot where a basalt butte meets
Pinyon Pine and Goldstar Mine Cabins
On the eastern slope of the rugged Old Woman Mountains are the remains of two weather-beaten cabins. Unlike the area's earlier gold and silver prospects, these mines targeted barite, a mineral primarily used in oil drilling. Barite (or Baryte) is a mineral consisting of barium sulfate, generally white